Al Ahli manager Cosmin Olaroiu, centre, heard the home fans screaming for his dismissal after an embarrassing 4-0 loss to Al Wasl. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)
Al Ahli manager Cosmin Olaroiu, centre, heard the home fans screaming for his dismissal after an embarrassing 4-0 loss to Al Wasl. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)

AGL talking points: Pressure builds for Cosmin Olaroiu as Al Ahli’s league crown slips away



Fans can be a fickle lot. A year ago, it would have been impossible to imagine the “Ultras” at Al Ahli’s Rashid Stadium chanting Cosmin Olaroiu’s name for anything except ­adoration.

Last week, barely nine months after leading the team to a league and cup double, the Romanian heard them screaming for his dismissal after an embarrassing 4-0 loss to Al Wasl.

Putting on a brave face later, Olaroiu promised to stay on and fight for Ahli’s pride. But his chances of turning it around must be slim.

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The defending champions are a team in flux, and the slide probably started the minute they decided to dump Hugo Viana, an integral part of their success last season, to accommodate Olaroiu’s choice Mirel Radoi.

Ciel’s injury in the opening game forced another change and, since then, there have been a succession of questionable decisions, the latest being to dismiss Carlos Munoz to accommodate South Korean Kwon Kyung-won.

It seems the powers that be have read their shopping list horribly wrong.

The team needed a pair of boots that could get them goals, but they decided to get handcrafted Oxfords instead and a bespoke dinner suit to go with it.

A bit rich and, as Olaroiu keeps complaining, not the best fit.

The Romanian has suggested he was not consulted about these recent changes.

“The coaches have many responsibilities and [make] few decisions, especially here in this region,” he said.

Both the management and coach will have their own version of events, so it is impossible to apportion blame. But the good thing is they are playing Ajman next, and a big win could bring the smiles back.

Emiratis in the spotlight

While Ahli fans are angry about the situation at the club, Ahmed Khalil might not be too upset.

The UAE international has spent too much time warming the benches and now, as lone striker in the squad, it is his time to shine. Khalil can take heart from the performance of the Emiratis in the past week: 13 of the 23 goals in Round 16 were scored by UAE nationals, including two by Saeed Al Kathiri against Ajman.

Khalil, returning from an injury, should be in tomorrow’s starting XI against the same opponents and hoping to do better than Al Kathiri.

Can Wasl end their wait?

Al Wasl fans have probably forgotten what victory in the Bur Dubai derby is like.

It has been a long time. Wasl’s last league win over their bitter rivals, Al Nasr, came in the first half of the 2008/09 season, when Essa Ali’s ninth-minute goal was enough for the hosts to bag the bragging rights.

Since then, Nasr have won six of the 12 clashes, including a resounding 6-1 triumph at home last season.

The Wasl fans should be optimistic ahead of tomorrow’s clash, though, because their team has looked good recently.

If they needed a boost, it came in the form of an emphatic 4-0 win at Ahli last week that raised hopes that their long wait could come to an end this week.

arizvi@thenational.ae

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- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut

- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.

- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.

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Expected completion: 2022

Height: 24 meters

Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people

Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people

First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time

First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres  

Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres

Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor 

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Power: 420kW

Torque: 780Nm

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

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2. Stefan Bissegger (Education-Nippo) - 0:00:14

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4. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) - 0:00:24

5. Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) - 0:00:30

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) - 4:00:05

2. Joao Almeida (QuickStep) - 0:00:05

3. Mattia Cattaneo (QuickStep) - 0:00:18

4. Chris Harper (Jumbo-Visma) - 0:00:33

5. Adam Yates (Ineos) - 0:00:39

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Price, as tested: Dh84,000

Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo

Transmission: Six-speed auto

Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm

Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km

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Directed by: Craig Brewer

Starring: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones

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First Job: Abu Dhabi Department of Petroleum in 1974  
Current role: Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding since 2008
Career high: Regularly cited on Forbes list of 100 most powerful Arab Businesswomen
Achievement: Helped establish Al Maskari Medical Centre in 1969 in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region
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  • Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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Friday (UAE kick-off times)

Cologne v Hoffenheim (11.30pm)

Saturday

Hertha Berlin v RB Leipzig (6.30pm)

Schalke v Fortuna Dusseldof (6.30pm)

Mainz v Union Berlin (6.30pm)

Paderborn v Augsburg (6.30pm)

Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund (9.30pm)

Sunday

Borussia Monchengladbach v Werder Bremen (4.30pm)

Wolfsburg v Bayer Leverkusen (6.30pm)

SC Freiburg v Eintracht Frankfurt (9on)

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Name: Brendalle Belaza

From: Crossing Rubber, Philippines

Arrived in the UAE: 2007

Favourite place in Abu Dhabi: NYUAD campus

Favourite photography style: Street photography

Favourite book: Harry Potter